Tobacco.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELIYI KRAUS, OF BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

TOBACCO.

1,201,83L Specification of Letters Patent. No Drawing. Application filed November 30, 1915. Serial No. 64,316.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM KRAUs, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and residing at Bleibtreustrasse 13/14, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Tobacco, of which the following 'is a specification.

impaired. Apart from this, such processesas have hitherto been made public involve manipulation or manual labor of a rather troublesome nature which renders them uneconomical in practice.

The new or improved de-nicotinizing process is distinguished from all those heretofore known by its intrinsic simplicity and the valuable technical efiect attained. It is more particularly adapted for dealing with raw material for pipe and cigar tobaccos and snufi tobaccos.

The process is in essentials carried out substantially in the following manner The raw materials to be treated are placed in a vacuum chamber adapted to be heated, as by steam or electric current. A vacuum chamber" such as is used for desiccating dried vegetables is best adapted for this purpose. After charging the chamber with the tobacco leaves a vacuum is maintained for about half an hour, the temperature being kept constant at from about 25 to 30"v C. This is doneTvith the object of preparing the tobacco for the following operations.

When the air has been extracted from the chamber to a sufficient extent a previously prepared supply of saturated lime water to which 1% of calcium nitrate has been added is allowed to How in from a containing vessel by opening a valve provided on the vacuum chamber. This liquid is allowed to remain in contact with the tobacco for about thirty' minutes, the original vacuum and the temperature specified being maintained. The lime water destroys on one hand the amid substances contained in the tobacco and on the other hand splits off the malate or citrate ofnicotin without destroying the aromatic substances, as lime water is.

a comparatively weak alkali. The addition of calcium prevents on one hand or minimlzes the removal by lixiviation of the other organic acids and resins which have a beneficial effect on the aroma and flavor of the tobacco leaves, and on the other hand insures complete combustion of the'tobacco products when smoked later on. During this operation free nicotin and in addition ammonia are evolved, both being partially withdrawn by the continuous removal of air.

After a predetermined time the "acuum is destroyed and the lime water run off. The

air is then again withdrawn and a 0.5% solution of formaldehyde admitted .to the chamber and allowed to act on the tobacco for about five minutes in order to take up,

by combininig therewith, the ammonia ab- .fully preserving the specific smoking aroma and at the same time improving the burning qualities of the tobacco. It is obvious that by repeating the process the loss of nicotin can be still further increased.

What I claim is 1. A process for de-nicotinizing tobacco leaves according to which the tobacco is treated in a vacuum with a solution of calcium nitrate in saturated lime water and then dried.

2. A process for de-nlcotlnlzmg tobacco according to which the tobacco is treated in a vacuum with a solution of calcium nitrate in saturated lime water, is then treated with a solution of formaldehyde and is finally dried.

3. A process for de-nicotinizing tobacco according to which the tobacco is treated in a vacuum with a solution of approximately 1% strength of calcium nitrate in saturated lime water, and then dried.

4. A process for de-nicotinizing tobacco according to which the tobacco is treated in a vacuum with a solution of approximately 1% strength of calcium nitrate in saturated lime water then treated with a 0.5% solution of formaldehyde, and is finally dried.

5. In de-nicotinizing tobacco placing the tobacco in a. heated vacuum chamber and subjecting it therein to a temperature of about 25 to 30 C. for about half an hour, then causing saturated lime water containing about 1% of calcium nitrate to flow in the vacuum chamber, from which air has been previously exhausted, and allowing the lime water to remain in contact with thetobacco for about half an hour while maintaining the vacuum and the temperature, then allowing air to enter the vacuum chamber and withdrawingthe tobacco and finally drying the tobacco 'at a temperature of about 40 C.

6. In de-nicotinizing tobacco placing the tobacco in a heated vacuum chamber and subjecting it therein to a temperature of about'25 to 30 C. for about half an hour, then causing saturated lime water containing about 1% of calcium nitrate to flow in the vacuum chamber, from which air has been previously exhausted, and allowing the lime water to remain in contact with the tobacco for about half an hour while maintaining the vacuum and the temperature, then destroying the vacuum in the chamber and running off the lime water afterward admitting a'0.5% solution of formaldehyde to the vacuum chamber after again withdrawing air therefrom and allowing the formaldehyde to act on the tobacco for about five minutes, then allowing air to enter the vacuum chamber and withdrawing the tobacco and finally drying the tobacco at a temperature of about 40 C.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILHELM KRAUS. Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER, ARTHUR Sorrnonnun; 

